Verse 1 You can be happy in April with your sleeves rolled up, Coffee tastes like potential, your luck’s on the up. You can be happy in August, barefoot and brave, Sunburned and certain you’re finally saved. Happiness lives in a well-lit room, Pays rent, keeps hours, hums a sensible tune— Pre-Chorus But merriment’s different, it packs its bags, Shows up unannounced with a drunk brass band. Chorus You can be happy any time, sure, that’s true, But merry’s a visitor passing through. Merry jingles, it spills, it ignores the plan, It laughs too loud, shakes strangers’ hands. Happiness waits till you’re ready and steady— But Christmas is when you’re allowed to be merry. Verse 2 You can be happy on Tuesdays, balanced and calm, Inbox at zero, no cause for alarm. You can be happy doing all the right things, Hydrated, regulated, adult with wings. But merry wears sequins to the grocery store, Cries at commercials, asks for one cookie more. Pre-Chorus Merry’s not practical, doesn’t explain, It rides in on bells and cheap champagne. Chorus You can be happy any time, that’s fair, But merry needs lights and a little despair. Merry forgives what the year didn’t mend, Calls old friends like nothing ever did end. Happiness says, “Let’s circle back when you’re ready”— But Christmas says, “Nope. Be ridiculous. Be merry.” Bridge Merry’s not wellness, it’s not a fix, It won’t optimize you in thirty-six clicks. It’s a temporary truce with the long hard year, A group hallucination fueled by hope and cheer. It knows it’s brief, so it goes all in— That’s the deal. That’s the sin. That’s the win. Final Chorus You can be happy in springtime, healthy and clean, You can be happy in fall, all thoughtful and keen. But merry needs candles, needs choirs off-key, Needs too much feeling and one extra “we.” Happiness whispers, “Anytime you’re ready”— But Christmas kicks the door down yelling, “NOW. Be loud. Be foolish. Be merry.” Outro So if you miss it by Tuesday, don’t worry, don’t fret— Happiness is patient, it’ll still be there yet. But tonight, let the rules get a little bit blurry— You can be happy whenever… But right now? Be merry.
